We’re halfway through 2017, and there’s a lot of music left to come out yet. I tend to listen to more hip-hop than anything, so that’s why I make 2 separate lists and also why I make 2 lists instead of making a list for every genre I listen to. That would be a pain to make and to get through. So here are my top 5 non hip-hop albums of the year so far.
5. Remo Drive – Greatest Hits
Remo Drive is a punk rock band out of Minnesota that came onto the scene this year with their debut album. For being their first effort, the band really knows how to put together a catchy song with great guitar riffs sprinkled all throughout the tracklisting. Plus, the lyrics on some of the songs just bleed with emotion and make you want to scream them to your past lover that did you wrong. You know which one I’m talking about. To get into the album, make sure to check out “Yer Killin’ Me” below.
4. Sampha – Process
Many people were introduced to Sampha through Drake, and sure, he did amazing providing background and main vocals on some of his songs, but I think where Sampha shines best is on his own projects, with his own narrative driving the album. There’s a lot of emotions running through the album, one that prominently sticks out being the recent death of his mother. She instilled in him his love for music, and the lyrics of this album reflect that. If you haven’t heard it yet, check out “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano” below.
3. Lorde – Melodrama
I absolutely loved Lorde’s debut album, but I think it was a little less focused and had less of a theme to it. The label must have been trying to cash in quick on the success of her “Royals” single. However, I think it brought some of Lorde’s best music in it (looking at you, “Ribs”). She has returned with her sophomore effort this time and there’s a theme. A heartbreak. We hear it straight out in the beginning and we see her unravel how this relationship went sour as each track progresses. What started as attraction at a party when they weren’t sober turned sour as the years went by. If you haven’t heard the album yet, listen to “Hard Feelings/Loveless” below.
2. Xiu Xiu – Forget
Xiu Xiu has always been making experimental pop, and I really liked their last album where they covered music from the show Twin Peaks. However, Forget is once again original music from the group, and the experimental is definitely here. The opening track starts off with a real fast rap urging us to “clap, bitches”. If you haven’t given this album a listen yet, here’s “Wondering” to start you off in the right direction.
1. Father John Misty – Pure Comedy
Funny enough, I first heard of Father John Misty in an episode of Master of None (which is also amazing by the way if you haven’t seen it). This drew me to do a bit of research where I found out that he was a former drummer from Fleet Foxes, whose past two albums I loved (and who’s album from a few weeks ago will most likely make my top 10 list at the end of the year). Josh Tillman gives us a masterpiece of an album with Pure Comedy, where he provides great commentary on our current state as humans and on what may become of us in the future. Songs like “Future Entertainment Forever” which include amazing horns towards the end of the song and starts out with him bedding Taylor Swift with his Oculus Rift, and songs like “Ballad of the Dying Man” tells a story of a man so attached to his phone and social media, that as he’s about to die, he checks his timeline one last time and gets sad at the fact that he won’t be able to call out any more people online anymore. I’m pretty sure this album will still be at the number 1 spot once the year comes to an end, and if you haven’t listened to the album yet, here’s “Total Entertainment Forever” to get you started.
